1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gas and liquid contact apparatus and, in particular, to devices for collecting and removing liquids from flowing gases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many devices in use which filter liquids and solid particles from air as it passes through air lines. Some devices rely on the use of various filtering elements to collect and remove liquid droplets and solid particulates, while others rely on the pattern and velocity of the air as it passes through the lines. Examples of the latter are U.S. Pat. No. 2,168,512 to Browning and U.S. Pat. No. 845,807 to Miller. Browning shows an air line trap with air flowing through baffles so that condensates are expected to collect at the bottom of the trap. Miller shows a water separator which directs air downward with baffles. Neither of the aforementioned use filter elements or address the necessary pattern of air flow necessary to achieve the quickest and most efficient filtering through filter elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,105 to Rhodes shows oil filtering to remove fluid and oil in a two-stage device. The fluid is removed in the upper stage and oil drains out the bottom of the lower stage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,204,017 to Kehle uses the velocity of the air through baffles to cause droplets to fall and drain from a lower chamber.
Mann, in both U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,416 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,618, discloses an air line vapor trap for removing water and/or oil vapor from a compressed air line. The trap uses two cartridges, one with a wire fiber pad and the other with spirally wound fiber. A base plate includes parallel louvers to collect condensates. There is a drain at the bottom of one of the cartridges for removal of condensates and debris. The air flows down one cartridge and up the other cartridge.
It is important in the fluid power industry, in particular with compressed air systems, to achieve efficient filtration without loss of pressure because pressure loss will affect operation of the equipment and may even cause equipment failure.
It is especially desirable to remove moisture from pneumatic systems such as those used in the brake systems of large trucks and other motor vehicles. The pneumatic systems are typically used as a means to release the brakes. Water present in the pneumatic line may freeze, which may cause dangerous impairments to the function of the brakes.
None of the aforementioned prior art discloses a filtering system and equipment which forces air into a pattern which most efficiently utilizes the filtering elements and still maintains high pressure levels. None of the prior art provides a separate cartridge for containing the filter element inside the filter housing, the separate cartridge forming a channel with the housing to direct the air flow vertically upward through all filter elements. None of the prior art additionally discloses the provision of heat exchange apparatus in such a device.